Promise of The Portrait
by Michiyo1211
Summary: What if...there can be only one person return to the real world? Who would it be? Would Garry sacrifice himself? Or Ib? Rating : T.
1. Chapter 1 : Prologue

Promise of The Portrait

Author: Michiyo1211

Pairing: Garry x Ib (my OTP :3 ~~)

Genre: T

Note: Please read and review! This is my first fanfic so just feel free to correct my mistakes :3

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><p>Chapter 0 - Prologue<p>

- Ib, hurry up! We are nearly there!

The tall gentleman squeezed the little girl's hand as they ran.

- Garry…

- What's wrong, Ib? Why do you look so upset? Are you tired?

- No…It's…nothing…

How weird. Normally, Ib would just tell him the problem. Yet she was staying silent.

Maybe she was just thinking about her parents. She should not worry, though. Because she was going to see them again anyways.

- Finally, we are here, Ib! Let's just jump in the painting together and return to our world! – Garry smiled. He felt so happy for both of them. First, it was terrifying being trapped in this weird museum with headless statues and scary portraits chasing them around. But now, they finally could return to their own world. Yet suddenly, Garry felt Ib's hand shaking. He worriedly looked at her:

- Really, Ib. Tell me what's wrong? Are you worrying about your parents?

- …No, Garry. It's not that. It's just…if, just i-f, only one of us can return to our world, what would you do?

- ….Silly Ib. Why are you asking this? Of course I'd sacrifice myself for you!

- Garry, you are too kind, you know….

- I'm not kind. It's just…I believe in you, Ib. But Mary did say that two people can return to the real world, right?

- It's not true, though…- Ib mumbled

- Hm? What were you saying, Ib? I couldn't hear- As Garry didn't even finish his sentence, Ib hurriedly pushed Garry into the painting. Surprised by what she did, Garry said:

- Why did you push me, Ib? We could just jump into the painting together. But well, never mind, just come here, Ib. Let's return to our world.

But the little girl was shaking. Tears slowly rolled down her cheeks. What a beautiful girl. She looked as if she was a goddess.

- I'm sorry, Garry. But I can't. What Mary said isn't true. Only one of us can get into the painting. But…meeting you, talking to you, ….I realized that you really did sacrifice everything for me. Now, it's time for me to pay you back…

- Wh…what are you saying, Ib? We are returning together! There's no way what Mary said isn't tr-

Garry was shocked. He couldn't touch Ib anymore. There was a wall between the two of them.

- Ib! Don't kid with me! We were lost here together, then we must return together! There's no way I would leave you here alone!

Ib gently smiled. She placed her hand on the painting where Garry's hands lied. There was something hurting in her chest. Her heart felt warm. At least…she was able to get him back to the real world.

- Garry, you know…throughout our adventure, I slowly started to realize that you are very precious to me. And I thank you for that. For coming into my life. Thank you, Garry.

- No, no!

- Don't cry, Garry. I just paid you back, it's not a big deal. Please don't cry. Since I did this for you, smile instead. It surely would make me happier. I love your smile, Garry…

And that was Ib's last word before Garry disappeared.

"Finally, everything is over. I'm lonely. I miss Pa and Ma. And I miss…Garry too. But…there's no way I could see them now. Since I'm alone."

The girl quietly let her tears rolling down her chin. It was over. Finally, it was over. Her new life was there, the world inside the painting. However…

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It was not over, yet.

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Was it?


	2. Chapter 2 : Something Important

First, I'd like to say special thanks to those who read this fanfic. Especially those who reviewed! :D

And I'd like to say my special thanks to:

SomeoneBehindTheShadows

Maiyatsumi

Thank you for reading my fanfic! I hope you will continue to support and enjoy this! *bows*

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><p>Chapter 1: Something Important<p>

- Hmm? Where am I? Oh yes, the museum. I remember I came here to see some paintings…

The purple-haired gentleman suddenly opened his eyes. Even though he could see that he was at the museum, it felt as if he was there for a very, very long time. That was weird. He thought that time stopped there for a moment. Maybe it was his imagination. Maybe it was a dream. However, he felt as if he was forgetting something very important. His chest hurt. He felt…lonely. How strange. He lived alone all the time, yet why did he feel lonely now?

Garry strolled around the museum a bit more, everything looked very familiar even though this was his first time visiting Guertena's museum. He kept walking until his eye caught a glimpse of a very unfamiliar portrait. It was a portrait of a young, pretty maiden holding a bouquet of roses in her chest. She was smiling, yet there were tears on her face. Feeling something was wrong, Garry looked at the portrait's title. It was "Goodbye". Why? Why goodbye? In a moment, Garry's heart felt as if it was going to burst. What was this strange feeling he had been feeling the whole time? It was weird…

- Excuse me, sir. Are you alright?

A bodyguard near there worriedly came towards Garry. Garry forced a smile:

- Th…thank you. I'm alright. I was just curious, that's all.

- Curious? What were you curious about, sir? I've been working here for 4 years. I guess I could answer your curiousness of this museum.

- Um…- Garry pointed at the portrait. – This portrait…Was it here before? It seems…unfamiliar to me, somehow…

- Oh…yes. That does remind me. Has it been here before, I wonder? I cannot remember. How strange…

"I knew it. It does seem strange, after all. I'm very familiar with other paintings, but not with this one. I wonder why?"

But…looking closely, it seemed quite familiar, in a way. The roses that the maiden was holding…Roses. Red roses. Blue roses. And…yellow roses. Somehow, Garry thought that he didn't like yellow roses at all.

"Yellow roses….they are fake. I don't know why, but they definitely are fake."

Thinking that there was nothing he could do now, Garry sighed and went home. This was the first time in his life that Garry felt so useless and…regret. But he was reminding him that someday, he must return to the museum again. There was something…or someone…waiting him. He felt it. He felt the presence of that someone. It was just, he didn't notice them. That's all.

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><p>At home, after having dinner, Garry went to the computer and did some research about Guertena. Guertena was a skilled and passionate artist having an entire museum for just his work alone. That 'museum for just his work alone' definitely must be the museum Garry has just visited. Garry looked up at all of Guertena's works, yet he didn't see any portrait named "Goodbye". Just as he thought, the portrait "Goodbye" was not drawn by Guertena. But who drew that? And the museum only displayed Guertena's works, right? Then why was it there? Why was "Goodbye" displayed there? Something was wrong. He must find out the truth. He didn't know why. In fact, he could just leave it be and not do anything about it anymore.<p>

But there was something of the portrait that attracts him. The roses. When he saw the portrait, the three colors of the roses came to his mind: Red, blue and yellow roses. But the thing that attracted him the most was the maiden. Her smile was peaceful. But the tears have shown that she was hurt. Looking at the portrait alone would have made anyone's heart hurt. Or was it just him? Garry was not sure. But he just knew that he wanted to protect the maiden in the portrait. Something felt wrong. It felt as if he could not leave her alone. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to protect her. He was not sure why he thought so. But he believed in his heart.

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><p>The day after that, Garry went to the museum again. This time, he stood in front of the portrait that has been on his mind the whole day. He observed it carefully, without missing any details of the portrait. Then he suddenly noticed there was something hidden in the skirt pocket of the girl. It was something white. It was…a handkerchief. Garry's mind went dark. No, it wasn't just his mind. The whole museum went dark.<p>

"Wh…what's happening? So sudden…"

As Garry wondered, he went around the museum using his lighter and he noticed a big painting: "Abyss of the Deep". Unconsciously, Garry touched the painting. His mind went blank. His body felt so heavy. It felt as if he didn't have any energy left. And so, he collapsed. The gentleman's body was embraced in the dark.

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"_Ib_"


End file.
